World War I Today

Searchlight

Postcard image of London under an airship raid. In the distance, a fire burns near Tower Bridge, another to the east, south of the Thames. The Schütte-Lanz was a competitor to the Zeppelin, and used a wooden rather than metal frame. After an original painting, 'Schütte-Lanz' over London by Jo. Ruep.

One of the defenses of the Belgian forts of the Meuse (Dinant, Namur, Liége) were powerful 60cm searchlights in armored turrets that could rotate 360 degrees and could illuminate the terrain from one to two miles (two to three kilometers). The searchlights were used to defend against night attacks in which the German forces suffered heavy losses. Each fort, had however, only one searchlight.

In the front lines, star-shells, Very lights (flares), and parachute lights provided temporary illumination of no-man's land. Searchlights could also be positioned in the trenches, but were, of course, vulnerable to enemy fire. Portable searchlights, either mounted on or towed behind automobiles or trucks were used in the front lines to illuminate no-man's land. They were typically used to support artillery, and were protected by entrenchments.

Ground-based searchlights were used to illuminate planes and Zeppelins at night, and were a critical component of air defenses. They were also installed in Zeppelins to shine on the terrain below, although the lights revealed their position, and made them vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire.